This invention relates generally to processes for preparing shrimp for subsequent cooking, and, more particularly, to processes for deveining and blanching shrimp.
Shrimp are a delectable and popular food, whether boiled, broiled, barbecued or fried. Black tiger shrimp (penaeus fabricus monodon) are perhaps the most popular shrimp, normally cultivated in ponds and harvested in mass quantities. Although shrimp are quite tasty, they also are quite expensive, with a substantial portion of that expense resulting from the labor required to properly shell and devein the shrimp.
Like other crustaceans, shrimp have exterior skeletons, to shield their flesh against predators. Shrimp also carry their intestines, commonly called veins, in bags that extend along the length of their bodies. All varieties of shrimp have a head, a tail, and a number (typically five) of intermediate body segments. The skeleton shell encircles the shrimp, and swimmerettes project from the shrimp's front, concave side. The vein extends longitudinally through the shrimp's body segments, from the head to the tail, a small distance beneath the shrimp's back, convex side.
Shrimp are ordinarily prepared by removing the shell, head and swimmerettes and then cutting into the shrimp's backside to extract the vein. Two common techniques are used for deveining. In one such technique, a small section of the shrimp's backside (e.g., one body segment) is initially cut to expose the vein. Using a pin or the like, the vein is then lifted away and pulled axially from the uncut body segments. Although this deveining technique is usually satisfactory, the vein can frequently break, leaving sections of it remaining within the uncut body segments. This, of course, results in an unsatisfactory taste.
In an alternative deveining technique, the entire backside is cut, i.e., all five body segments, to expose the entire vein for removal. Although this technique is generally effective in ensuring that the entire vein is removed, the full cut significantly alters the shrimp's shape and detracts from its appearance. This full cut also can lead to other unsatisfactory results. For example, when the shrimp are sometimes cooked on a grill, a sideways curl away from the full cut can inhibit a change in color for the entire shrimp, from its original, unappetizing blue-grey color. Even a prior blanching in hot water is not always effective in changing the color of side portions of the fully-cut shrimp.
It should therefore be appreciated that there is a need for an improved process for deveining shrimp in a way that ensures removal of the entire vein while simultaneously ensuring that the entire surface of the shrimp undergoes a desired color change. The present invention fulfills this need.